Kids - and their Christmas lists - greet Santa

November 24, 2007|By Angela Mettler, Special to the American News

Cate and Jack Doan came all the way from Omaha to see Santa. Cate, 8, and Jack, 7, were among those waiting for Santa to arrive at the Lakewood Mall on Friday night. They frolicked around their mother, Janet Doan, and grandmother, Mary Ellen Ehresmann of Aberdeen. Janet said Cate was in Aberdeen one other time for the arrival of the Santa Train, but she was just a baby. "She was afraid of Santa that year," Janet said. Not this year. Cate said she wants a cat and a horse for Christmas - but most of all, she wants a wiener dog. "It's my favorite animal," she said. Jack wants some popular electronic equipment: a Nintendo DS, a Nintendo GameBoy and an iPod. Christi Barrus of Aberdeen brought her children Kayla Moreno, 8; Ciarra Poor, 7; Morgan Prouse, 6; and Jordan Barrus, 2. Grandmother Geri Barrus was also along. Moreno and Prouse said they each want a digital diary and a Baby Alive doll. Moreno also wants a Barbie cash register, and Prouse wants a Puppy in My Pocket purse and a computer. Poor said she wants a digital diary, a Littlest Pet Shop and a Hannah Montana wig. Jordan Barrus wants a baby doll and stroller. As Santa entered the mall around 6 p.m., he was greeted by excited cries of "It's Santa!" Santa better have a good memory - the line to see Santa and Mrs. Claus stretched from the former Wal-Mart entrance to Vanity. Downtown: Holiday kickoff festivities continued downtown with the inaugural lighting of the downtown Christmas tree and the Parade of Lights. Sgt. 1st Class Mike Wiley of the Aberdeen-based Battery A, 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery of the South Dakota National Guard and his daughter Emily lit the tree. Wiley said he accepted the honor on behalf of the families of soldiers who have served or are serving in the National Guard. The crowd counted down from 10 and the tree was lit. The tree, a 23-foot-tall Colorado spruce, was donated by the Aberdeen Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department. It sported 4,500 lights and took nine hours to decorate. People enjoyed free coffee, hot chocolate and apple cider during the tree-lighting ceremony and the Parade of Lights, which featured about 20 entries. Santa and Mrs. Claus finished the parade in a horse-drawn carriage, courtesy of Bill and Linda Schlosser of Bath.